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Council approves another year of crossing guard at Union and Route 31 after hours of debate
Summary
After a lengthy debate over safety, data and precedent, the Batavia City Council voted 9–4 (1 absent) to direct staff to hire a crossing guard for Union and Route 31 for another year; proponents cited resident emails and crash history, opponents urged data collection and permanent engineering fixes.
The Batavia City Council voted Monday to keep a seasonal crossing guard at Union and Route 31 for at least one more year, following an extended discussion that divided council members and drew numerous residents to speak in favor.
Supporters argued the intersection remains unsafe for pedestrians — especially children walking and biking to the nearby quarry/Corey activities — and pointed to 36 resident emails submitted ahead of the meeting. Alderman Farenbach urged the council to act, noting the city had $25,000 earmarked for transportation safety and saying the cost was a reasonable short-term intervention. Regan B., chair of the Active Transportation Advisory Commission, told the council the road diet did not make the left-turn lane a pedestrian refuge and said a crossing guard provides an important, visible safety presence: “that left turn lane is not a pedestrian median,” she said.
Opponents asked the city to collect data and rely on measured before/after counts and crash statistics rather than ad hoc requests. Several council members said the road diet has reduced crashes in some locations and asked staff to supply intersection-specific accident figures. The police department and staff agreed to collect and report crash and usage data to the council.
Public commenters described near-misses and personal safety concerns. Danielle Sligger, a third-ward resident and school-board member, said the crossing guard would offer immediate peace of mind while the council pursues longer-term engineering solutions: "We need something now," she said, urging a temporary measure alongside data collection and eventual infrastructure fixes.
After a motion to hire a crossing guard and a second, the clerk called the roll. The motion passed 9 yes, 4 no, 1 absent. Council members who opposed the measure cited cost precedent and urged pursuit of permanent engineering (hawk signal, refuge island) rather than recurring seasonal staffing.
Why it matters: The decision balances short-term pedestrian safety with longer-term engineering and budget priorities. Council members said they expect to pair the crossing guard with pedestrian counters and crash data collection to inform whether the measure should continue beyond this trial year.
Next steps: Staff was directed to contract for a crossing guard at Union and Route 31 for the summer and to collect pre/post usage and crash data to return to the council for evaluation.
